The Situation:

Chronic pain is a global problem. It is estimated that nearly 20% of adults suffer from pain globally and that another 10% are diagnosed with chronic pain every year, accounting for 15%–20% of physician visits worldwide. In the US alone, chronic pain is estimated to affect over 100 million people and pain-associated annual costs are estimated to range from $560 to $635 billion, which includes the cost of medication and doctor visits, as well as loss of productivity in work, and disability assistance1. When compounded with the opioid epidemic, this becomes a public health crisis. It is evident that there needs to be a better approach to pain management and monitoring, including for those who experience chronic pain as a symptom of a variety of conditions, such as migraine, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, arthritis, sports injuries, etc.

The Challenge:

Not all pain management requires medication and there is rising evidence that non-pharmacological approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and digital therapeutics (e.g. Virtual Reality) can provide symptomatic relief for chronic pain sufferers. Hence, Novartis is looking to reimagine pain management through novel, innovative solutions. We are looking for digital solutions that can:
 1. Objectively assess and measure pain severity 
 2. Measure the health economic (HEOR) impact of pain
 3. Treat pain effectively – either as a condition in its’ own right, or as a symptom of other conditions, such as migraine, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, arthritis etc.

The Situation:

Recruitment and retention of patients are widely known as key contributors to the success of clinical trials. Yet, recruitment is the top driver of trial launch delays and 90% of US trials do not hit recruitment targets on time and, taking an average of 2-times longer than anticipated. Additionally, 29% of a clinical trial’s costs are related to patient enrollment process, but only 0.2% doctors and nurses actively refer their patients to clinical trials. Even in the oncology space – where clinical trials are better accepted as a form of potential treatment – it is estimated that 85% of cancer patients are unaware of active clinical research opportunities, even though 75% of them say they would be willing to participate if they did.

The Challenge:

With the rise of consumer platforms like Google and Facebook, along with the ubiquity of mobile and other digital devices, the way that we engage with consumers has completely changed. Hence, we are looking for innovative digital solutions that can help drive patient recruitment and retention for clinical trials, including solutions that:
 1.Find the right patients for specific trials or helps patients find the right trials for themselves
 2.Increase the quality of referrals to sites
 3.Enhance the recruitment and screening process
 4.Drive better patient/caregiver experiences

The Situation:

digitize | dijəˌtīz | verb | to convert (pictures or sound) into a digital form that can be processed by a computer.

Biology is in a new era of digitization at a large scale.  Due to the unprecedented cost reductions in DNA sequencing, computing power, and data storage, we are able to convert the A’s, C’s, G’s, and T’s of the genome into ones and zeros that can be processed by a computer.  Since the first whole human genome was sequenced in 2003, the volume of genomic data as grown significantly.  The digitization of biology through genomics has the vast potential to transform drug discovery and accelerate the development of breakthrough therapeutics for patients, to advance precision medicine through early detection and prevention of diseases, and to commercialize novel products to improve human health and beyond.

  
The Challenge:

Today, the role of entrepreneurs and venture capitalist to accelerate the digitization of biology through genomics is critical as our understanding of biology grows exponentially and enabling technologies evolve rapidly.  Illumina Accelerator is partnering with top entrepreneurs and investors to digitize biology and advance breakthrough applications in genomics.  We are looking to collaborate with startups that are advancing breakthrough applications that:
  1.Discover novel drug targets and therapeutic candidates for high unmet medical needs.
  2.Advance the early detection of disease or disorders to improve patient outcomes.
  3.Accelerate new consumer genomics applications for wellness and prevention.
  4.Develop informatics and software tools to unlock the power of the genome.